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This month we are looking at how organisations can be affected by times of uncertainty. One of the biggest challenges of our generation is Brexit but we are finally starting to get a bit of clarity around what this means for legislation, particularly around employment.

On 21 June 2017, the Queen’s Speech set out details of legislation that the government intends to carry over into, or introduce in, the 2017-19 Parliamentary session.

The things you need to know are:

National living wage. The national living wage (NLW) will increase to 60% of median earnings by 2020. After 2020, the NLW will continue to rise in line with average earnings.

Immigration. The Immigration Bill, covering the whole of the UK, will establish a new national policy on immigration, including new powers concerning the immigration status of European Economic Area (EEA) nationals. The Bill will allow the government to repeal EU law on immigration, primarily free movement.

Data protection. A new Data Protection Bill will make the UK’s data protection framework fit for the digital age and give individuals more control over their data, including the right to be forgotten. It will replace the Data Protection Act 1998 and implement the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Gender pay gap and discrimination. The government states that it intends to make further progress in tackling the gender pay gap and reducing discrimination on all grounds although no new measures were announced.

This legislation will impact on organisations differently dependent on the size and make up of your workforce. Some of these changes will not come into force immediately but its important to be aware of these and the change in your obligations so you can plan ahead and not get caught out.